BOISE - Governor Dirk Kempthorne will officially kick off the 2003 Idaho Governor's Conference on Housing on Monday with a welcome luncheon, followed by a keynote address from CNN's "Crossfire" co-host and political analyst Tucker Carlson. The conference has been held every three years since 1994.

With the theme, "Navigating in Uncertain Times," the goal of the conference is to focus on the stabilizing influence of housing, to bring together the many groups and individuals required to develop and manage affordable housing, to examine current challenges and issues, and to develop workable strategies to address future housing concerns.

Monday's sessions include a general regional and national economic outlook following Gov. Kempthorne's welcome and Carlson's keynote presentation. Workshops focused on affordable housing financing, home maintenance, fair housing accessibility, and legislative forecasts will close out the first day of workshop sessions.

Monday evenings' activities include a reception and 10th anniversary dinner for the Idaho Community Reinvestment Corporation. In the 10 years ICRC has been active, it has facilitated the addition of almost 1,500 affordable housing units in Idaho. In that time, the ICRC has invested more than $38.6 million in affordable housing.

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NOTE TO EDITORS: Reporters are invited and encouraged to attend any of the keynote addresses or workshops. Complimentary passes for all conference activities are available by contacting Reed Hollinshead at 208-331-4858.

The Idaho Housing and Finance Association, a financial services and housing organization, provides funding for affordable housing in Idaho communities where they are most needed and when it is economically feasible. IHFA uses no state funds or state employees to support its operations. For more information, visit our Web site at www.ihfa.org.